Serum neuron-specific enolase is a useful tumor marker for small cell lung cancer.

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) may be potentially curable. A correct diagnosis of cancer cell type is important and serum markers are of great value. Although several markers have been suggested, they have been of limited value because of insufficient specificity.

Increased growth hormone responses to growth hormone releasing hormone and thyrotropin releasing hormone in patients with metastatic testicular cancer.

In 16 patients with metastatic testicular cancer and 10 age matched male control subjects growth hormone (GH) responses to growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH; 1 microgram/kg body weight iv.) and thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH; 200 micrograms iv.) were measured.

Clinical biochemistry of neuron specific enolase.

The soluble brain protein 14-3-2 first described by Moore and McGregor in 1965 is now known to be a cell specific isoenzyme of the glycolytic enzyme enolase (EC 4.2.1.

[Therapy of metastatic carcinoid with the somatostatin analog octreotide and with recombinant interferon alfa 2b].

A 69 year-old male with carcinoid syndrome and undetectable primary tumour, but disseminated liver metastases, was treated with somatostatin analogue octreotide (Sandostatin) and later additionally with recombinant interferon alpha 2 b (r IFN alpha 2 b, Intron A). The carcinoid symptoms (flushing, diarrhoea) were stopped within hours by octreotide. Simultaneously, the urinary 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid (5-HIAA) excretion and serum serotonin levels decreased by more than 50%.

[Cholesterol screening in a bank for the detection of a risk population].

In October 1987 voluntary screening for cholesterol war performed in a bank. After preceding information had been issued to the participants 25 ml blood were drawn on 4 days from 667 employees (48.9% males, 51.

[The cholesterol risk factor--initial results of a screening study in industries].

After the distribution of suitably informative leaflets all the employees of 2 companies were invited to participate in a screening programme with the aim of detecting elevated cholesterol levels. 238 out of 510 employees participated in the screening. Related to the age-adjusted Austrian recommendations for the upper limit of normal values, cholesterol was elevated in 73 people (30.

HLA-antigen distribution in seminoma, HCG-positive seminoma and non-seminomatous tumours of the testis.

Histocompatibility antigens play a certain role in the development of testicular tumours. 151 patients with testicular cancer (86 non-seminomatous germ cell tumours--NSGCT--and 65 pure seminoma) were typed for the HLA-antigens of the A, B, C and DR locus. 24 patients of the pure seminoma group and 50 patients of the NSGCT group had an elevated serum HCG level preoperatively.

Early-onset thrombocytopenia during combination chemotherapy in testicular cancer is induced by vinblastine.

Platelet kinetics were studied in 70 patients with testicular cancer to elicit the agent responsible for chemotherapy-induced transient early-onset thrombocytopenia; 204 treatment courses were analyzed using three different therapy protocols, which contained vinblastine and bleomycin either alone or in combination with cisplatin. Platelet count decreased significantly from the start of vinblastine administration reaching its nadir on the third day of therapy in each of the three treatment groups. Between day 4 and day 10 of the treatment cycle, platelet counts steadily increased even in patients still receiving continuous bleomycin infusions.

Microsomal aromatase in testicular tumour tissue: increased activity in choriocarcinoma compared to embryonal carcinoma.

Microsomal aromatase activity was assayed in testicular tumour tissue from one patient with choriocarcinoma and two patients with embryonal carcinoma. In the microsomal fractions of tumour tissue conversion of 3H-testosterone and 3H-androstenedione to 3H-17 beta-estradiol and 3H-estrone was measured. Aromatase activity was markedly increased (8-fold) in choriocarcinoma compared to embryonal carcinoma.

[Interferon therapy in multiple myeloma].

Natural leukocyte interferon and recombinant interferon alpha-2 have effected remission rates between 10 and 20% in the treatment of multiple myeloma. Response rates have been higher in untreated patients than in relapsing or primarily refractory cases. Patients with slowly proliferating tumors, early tumor stage or IgA-monoclonal protein seem to show increased sensibility to interferon as compared to patients without those characteristics.

Acute vascular toxicity after combination chemotherapy with cisplatin, vinblastine, and bleomycin for testicular cancer.

Twenty-one consecutive patients with testicular cancer treated with bleomycin, vinblastine, and cisplatin (PVB) were evaluated for acute vascular ischaemic events during chemotherapy. Angina pectoris occurred in 8/21 (38%) patients, a median 5.6 weeks after initiation of chemotherapy and persisted for 2-7 days.

Serum neuron-specific enolase. A marker for responses to therapy in seminoma.

Neuron-specific enolase (NSE) was evaluated as a serum marker in 105 patients with testicular cancer and compared with the established tumor markers alphafetoprotein (AFP) and human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). Increased serum NSE activity was measured in eight of 11 (73%) patients with metastatic seminoma. Serum NSE concentrations fell to within the normal range following chemotherapy.

Prognostic value of tumor marker determinations in testicular cancer patients.

This report is based on the observation of 109 patients with testicular cancer over a period of 6 years. At the time of orchiectomy metastases were present in 54 patients. In 13 patients with an initially nonmetastatic disease, secondaries occurred later.

Recombinant interferon alfa-2C versus polychemotherapy (VMCP) for treatment of multiple myeloma: a prospective randomized trial.

Forty-two previously untreated patients with multiple myeloma were entered in a prospective, randomised trial comparing recombinant interferon alfa-2C monotherapy with VMCP (vincristin, melphalan, cyclophosphamide and prednisolone). Both treatment arms were comparable for the stratification variables such as paraprotein type, stage of disease, and renal function. Rec.

Influence of metabolic control of insulin-dependent diabetes on plasma nucleotide levels (cAMP, cGMP) during bicycle exercise.

Plasma concentrations of cyclic nucleotides (cAMP, cGMP) were measured before and during bicycle exercise in 8 well-controlled (mean pre-exercise blood glucose 5.3 mmol/l; HbA1 8.6%) and 8 moderately controlled (mean pre-exercise blood glucose 12.

Assessment of the sensitivity of leukaemic cells to cytotoxic drugs by bioluminescence measurement of ATP in cultured cells.

A short-term test in vitro is described, which can be used to detect resistance to cytostatic agents in leukaemic cells. Leukaemic cell suspensions were incubated with cytostatic agents and the resulting intracellular ATP concentrations were measured by a bioluminescence ATP assay. There was a clear dose-effect relationship in acute leukaemia and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia cells for drugs used in the treatment of leukaemias.

The use of bioluminescence to evaluate the influence of chemotherapeutic drugs on ATP-levels of malignant cell lines.

Influence of various cytostatic agents on intracellular ATP concentrations of malignant cell lines was studied. The HL-60 promyelocytic cell line, the SW-480 cell line, derived from an adenocarcinoma of the colon and the SW-620 cell line, derived from a lymphonodal metastasis of the colon carcinoma, were investigated. Cell lines were incubated with cytostatic agents and changes in intracellular ATP concentrations were measured after various incubation times by means of bioluminescence.

Neopterin as tumour marker serum and urinary neopterin concentrations in malignant diseases.

Serum and urinary neopterin concentrations were measured in 142 patients suffering from various malignant diseases. Increased serum and urinary neopterin levels were found in 48% and 55% of patients respectively. Neopterin showed sufficient sensitivity in the detection of haematological disorders and hypernephroma, whereas the sensitivity of neopterin was rather poor in patients with other solid tumours.

[Angiotensin-converting enzyme in patients with temporal arteritis].

It is well documented in the literature that patients with active sarcoidosis exhibit elevated serum ACE activity. Since both temporal arteritis and sarcoidosis represent granulomatous inflammatory conditions, this study was undertaken to determine serum ACE activity in patients with temporal arteritis as well as in a control group. The serum ACE levels in patients with temporal arteritis were significantly lower than in the controls.

Effects of variations in thyroid hormone serum concentrations on serum ACE-activity.

Serum angiotensin converting enzyme activities were significantly increased in 26 untreated hyperthyroid patients (20.3 +/- 5.4 U/ml; P less than 0.